Hypothesis: Depending on their life histories, megaherbivores can either act as sinks or distributors of trophic energy.

Methods: Comparative review of mammal and dinosaur faunas, and aspects of their reproductive biology.

Conclusion: Extant (mammalian) megaherbivore populations represent trophic sinks that potentially limit carnivore diversity and productivity, because they are immune to predation and follow a reproductive strategy of very few, well-protected offspring. In contrast, in dinosaur faunas, the particularities of reproductive biology such as a larger number of offspring and limited parental care made a major part of megaherbivore biomass available to carnivores. Consequently, this increase in available trophic energy allowed for larger body masses and higher species diversity of dinosaur carnivores.

Keywords: dinosaurs, mammals, parental care, reproductive biology.

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